Enforcer
by PurpleDragonGirl
Summary: When Zora's parents died she fled to the streets as she felt she could never love another the way she loved them. Things are about to change for Zora as some dark cloaked strangers kidnap her and reveal to her the truth...  T possibly for later chapters.
1. Destination

Enforcer

They wouldn't tell me anything else besides, "You are an _enforcer_ now." Enforcer of what? I didn't know, they wouldn't breath another word!

I sat uncomfortably in the leather car seat, despite how nice the upholstery would feel in any other situation. I was not restrained (physically, that is), but it felt like I was. I was being watched so closely that I didn't even risk a glance out of the window to determine exactly where I was. It was so late that it would probably be dark and a pointless exercise anyway.

I was going crazy! I treasured each of my heartbeats, anticipating which may be my last. The smell of musky colognes was so intoxicating I could barley handle it as my breathing became more laboured and ragged with my fear. Trying to slow my breathing only resulted in my lungs burning angrily. The black cloaked figures around me were massive. The four of them seemed like giants. But, perhaps that was because I felt so small and I was scared, no, terrified and alone. So alone…

Just as I was sure I felt the last drop of sanity I had left desert me, we stopped (suddenly, judging by the fact that I had just flung forward in my seat). I sat back and immediately felt relieved, as my seatbelt had previously been constricting me like a python. I reached up to rub my neck and a cool, strong hand grasped my wrist.

"Ouch, what's your problem? Are you trying to give me a heart-attack?" I soon regretted my words as I gazed into the cold, black eyes of the tall man seated beside me. He said nothing, but I could tell that he was not used to being asked those sorts of _questions_. His eyes were no longer cold, they were searing with anger and they burned into me like a raging firestorm. Clearly he was a man of authority. I mean, who would dare to disobey him!

"Watch your tongue!" he finally spoke, and his voice was raspy and serpent like. It sent chills down my spine and my palms began to sweat even more than they already were. His Russian accent was, but one, of the creepy things about him.

"Vlad! That is no way to treat a guest!" snapped another voice, this one less cynical and more hospitable. This voice emanated from the figure sitting directly in front of me. A feminine voice, a woman with a very refined, English accent. It was only then that I realized the scent of fine perfume among the cologne.

"I was not aware that she was a guest. I view her as more of an annoyance!"

"Calm down, you impatient buffoon! You're scaring her half to death!"

"Sorry Gwen, I just don't feel like this is such a great idea. She is too young and clearly not ready." Vlad was calmer now, but clearly still agitated.

"She is our only hope, so we have little other choice." I was starting to like this, Gwen; she was, after all, the only one who _seemed _to be on my side.

It was driving me insane! I still had no idea what they were talking about and why they needed me. I was about to burst, I hated it when people ignored me and payed little, or no attention to the fact that I was dying of impatience.

It was quiet then and the car began to move again. (Must have been a traffic light.) As we moved under a street light I could see Gwen, she was not as large as Vlad, but she was still quite tall and she seemed to be in charge. Of what, I still wasn't sure.

Gwen's face was long and thin, sort of, elf-like. She had pale skin and she wore a brilliant, scarlet red lipstick. Her eyes were an emerald green and they shone like emeralds too. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw a strand of gold hair poking out of her hooded robe, just below her shoulders and it seemed to continue underneath her clothing.

Vlad was of a much stockier build. I managed to glimpse some of his cropped brown hair. He too had a narrow face, although more masculine than Gwen's of course. His dark eyes were deep set and he also had pale skin.

The other two had tanned skin and seemed to have rounder faces, although still quite angular. I guessed that they were about the same age as me. They must have been twins because they were so identical it was scary. They shared the same warm brown eyes. The only difference between the two was their hair. They were both brunets. One of them, tough, the driver, had short, loose curls and the other, directly in front of Vlad, had blond highlights and a messy hairdo that reminded me of my scruffy cat back in the alley.

Ah, the alley. It wasn't perfect, but it was all the home that I had. I was able to feed myself on what Harvey gave me.

Harvey was like family in a way. I begged him for food and he would always give in. He owned the local grocery store, so it wasn't too much trouble for him. It felt bad though, taking food from him and not being able to give him anything in return. I remembered his rounded face and his kind blue eyes. His hair was always so neat and well kept, oh, and very dark, almost black.

I used to have a home and a family, but that all changed when my parents died. They left me home alone, they trusted me after all. But, they never came back from that Soccer match.

I replayed that fateful night in my head, re-living the fear and the worry that had gripped me…

"_Are you sure that you're going to be alright? We're only a phone call away, remember," my parents had no reason to worry. I was only 12, but I could look after myself._

"_I'll be fine Mum! Stop worrying; I'm not a 5-year-old anymore! Now go, before you're late. You'll miss half of the game at this rate!" I was so eager to prove my maturity._

_They seemed so concerned. They couldn't find a baby sitter this time around, so they had no choice, but to trust that I could take care of myself._

_My parents walked out of the door and stopped only to look back at me with their loving gazes-_

My chest suddenly felt tight, remembering the last adoring look that I ever saw on their faces. I felt so guilty and wretched, remembering how I actually felt glad that I was home alone. That was a stupid thought, but I hadn't realised it then.

_I waited that night, for so long. I was a little surprised when they weren't home on time. (They often went out, but were never late.) Then as it became impossibly late, surprise turned to worry and doubt. I was so scared. I didn't want to think about what could have happened to them, but my mind seemed to have a need to manufacture gruesome ends to their lives._

_I hated myself for being so glad about their departure. How naive of me! What a stupid, carless thought. _

_I didn't sleep a wink that night. I was consumed by guilt and I was so angry with myself. _

_A knock sounded on the door and I felt so hopeful that it was my parents. They had come back! My heart skipped a beat and I ran faster than I ever had before to greet them and feel their warm embrace again._

_As I flung the door open with enthusiasm, I caught a glimpse of a black suit and my heart sank lower than I ever thought possible. _

"_We're here to help you," the two tall, dark men had said._

_I knew what was going to happen, regardless of who they really were. They were going to take me to an orphanage or something. I had no other relatives; it was just Mum, Dad and I. What other options did I have?_

_I didn't want to go to some run down establishment full of miserable, grieving children. That would only eliminate what little hope and happiness I had left. But, most of all, I didn't want a new mother and father. I felt too guilty to call anyone my parents besides the ones that I once had. My heart was too damaged and torn for me to call anyone else family. There was not enough room left in my heart…_

_I ran, I ran far away. Somewhere that I could be alone with my thoughts – The Alley. The alley behind Harvey's grocery store in Allington. A town so run down, that nobody would think to look for me there. A town that nobody knew existed…_

I was ripped back into reality as the car halted once more. This time the curly haired twin cut the engine, so we must have arrived at our destination (wherever that may be).

I was still weak inside, my heart all but destroyed, from the hurtful memories, so it didn't bother me when Vlad dragged me out of the car, with a far too firm grip on my wrist. The physical pain of reality was nothing compared to the pain that I felt inside. The state I was in. I was broken and nobody knew how to fix me. I was the patient that the doctor couldn't diagnose. A puzzle with too many pieces missing. I was a lost cause.


	2. Arrival

"Be gentle! I know how you feel about this, but we have no choice and neither does she, you're just making it harder for all of us," Gwen's angelic voice sounded.

"Fine, I'll let her go, but if she runs, I'm not going to be the one to catch her!"

"I promise I won't run, just let me go. Your cutting off my circulation here!" They were talking about me as if I wasn't even there. I hated that!

Why would I run if I didn't even know where I was? They would only catch me, and outnumber me if I tried to fight them off. Besides, I had nowhere to run. There was no escape; they may as well have locked me behind bars.

"I think we should trust her, Vlad," This was a new voice.

I turned around and saw that the twin with the messy hair was the one who had suggested this.

"She has no hope of escape, even if she did run, besides, no one can outrun an Enforcer. Am I right?"

Gwen was the next to speak, "Vlad, I think that James may be right. James, although I do agree with you, it is a bad idea to speak out of turn like that when Vlad is in a bad mood. You know what he's like."

"Sorry Gwen. I just don't want him to hurt her. He's not exactly the gentle type. I should know!"

James pulled back the long sleeve on his cloak, revealing a very bruised wrist. I cringed knowing that mine wouldn't be much better than his.

"I understand, James. Come on now Vlad, it's amazing that her hand hasn't turned blue yet!"

I felt a sudden relief in my wrist. It was so demeaning, being dragged around by a big thug like Vlad.

I grasped my wrist as I slumped in a heap on the ground. I peered at it through tired eyes and found that it matched James' bruises to a tee.

"C'mon James, we'll help her inside and show her to her room. I'll meet you inside, Gwen," sounded the voice of the second twin.

"Come now Vlad, you must calm down," Gwen soothed. "Perhaps that would be best Nolan. Vlad needs some time to cool of before we meet in the grand banquet hall. We will see you there in about 2 hours. That should give everyone time to freshen up. That means you too, James! I expect you to be showered and presentable!"

"Awww. Both showered and presentable. Mission impossible! Can't I just pick one?" James was obviously as messy as his hair suggested.

"**Both**, James!" Gwen sounded like his mother. Perhaps she was. But, then again, there was no resemblance. Maybe he was adopted? "Oh, and I do wish you would brush that hay stack you call hair."

James thrust out his hand and I hesitated. It did not go unnoticed.

"I'm not going to hurt you!"

"That's not what I'm worried about," I replied, and as I did I nodded towards his hand.

An understanding dawned upon his face and he just rolled his eyes. "I do shower. Gwen is just paranoid. My hand is perfectly clean."

I took his hand and was surprised at how quickly I was on my feet. At first glance he didn't seem very strong. He seemed to be of a thin, almost gangly, build. His brother was much the same.

Nolan appeared to my left and placed a hand on the centre of my back, pushing me forward and guiding me in the right direction.

I had not payed much attention to the large structure that we were in front of due to the fact that I was distracted by my recent situation.

It was beautiful: Tall pillars on either side, all of which were made of solid marble. They lined the entrance to the structure. The steps that led to the front door were also marble. Two lion statues were mounted on marble blocks at the foot of the stairs. Their jaws open and their brilliant teeth bared, it was threatening and also beautiful. The stunning white of the marble was striking in the light of the full moon. The steps, statues and pillars were amazing, but the door was even better; it was so majestic. It seemed to be made of a rich, red coloured wood, which had been polished to perfection, and at it's centre, an intricate carving of a lion. It was so detailed that it almost looked alive…

We walked up a set of 20 steps and then another 20. I was already so tired that it took all of my strength not to fall asleep on the spot, but I kept going, intrigued by my surroundings.

We stopped about a meter from the, rather eccentric, doors. I wondered if someone was going to open the door for us, but then I heard a groaning noise, like the creaking of a tree branch in the wind. I watched the door and stared right into the eyes of the lion. Then, the wood began to move! It began to stretch and the wood lion emerged.

I wanted to scream, but I couldn't force any sound out of my mouth. My jaw simply dropped and my eyebrows pulled together. A dry feeling began to develop in my throat and swallowing was strained.

"Pretty cool, huh?" James said, and he seemed a little smug.

"Shhhhh!" Nolan was getting a little annoyed with his brother.

"James, Nolan and guest, you have been deemed worthy to enter, proceed," the lion spoke calmly, his voice like the rustling of leaves in the wind, yet deep, swelling with authority and majesty.

It must have been some kind of hologram, magic doesn't exist. Or does it? My head was filled with endless questions, but I was still mute with shock and even as the doors opened with an almighty groan, I was rooted to the spot.

"You should have seen James' face his first time. Priceless!" Nolan was the smug one now.

James glared at him as they hauled me through the door.


End file.
